France

Special Reading Initiatives

Every year, the Ministry of Education organizes and/or supports a number of nationwide literacy events. These events serve several purposes, but primarily aim to facilitate an interest in reading and to promote access to reading outside of school. Some examples of these activities include:

• Week of the Media in School—All teachers are invited to participate in a civic education activity to help students become familiar with printed media.²²
• Poets’ Spring—Thousands of activities occur nationwide during a week devoted to promoting poetry.²³
• Week of the French Language and the French Speaking World—Schools participate in hundreds of events organized throughout the country. Students often participate through theme projects focusing on the importance of France’s literary heritage and on literacy as a key to self enjoyment.²⁴
• Read and Help Read—To encourage an interest in reading and literature, retired persons coordinate with teachers and schools to share the pleasure of reading with elementary school students.²⁵